Lessons from failed Jared Gaither signing

If a football player is chronically unreliable, what's the point of keeping him?

That's why the Chargers are right to cut ties with Jared Gaither. The Chargers couldn't count on Gaither. It's that simple. From week to week, it was a guessing game whether he'd be able to play, and that became a drag on the whole operation.

Rookie head coach Mike McCoy has enough question marks on this team. He doesn't need a weekly guessing game at left tackle. The Ravens and Chiefs also gave up on Gaither. It's a shame, because he's a special talent, but he's just too risky to keep.

If a player is limited but reliable, coaches will take their chances. Quentin Jammer, for example. He lacks great speed at this stage of his career. But the coaches could count on him last year. They knew Jammer would play. He was going to be a physical, determined presence in every game. If he failed, it was because he wasn't fast enough.

Gaither has long arms and quick feet, making him a potential star. But when the Chargers first signed him, his balky back was a concern. After Gaither rescued them in 2011, turning in five sharp outings after a waiver claim brought him to San Diego, the Chargers signed him to a big contract. They gambled and lost.

If nothing else, the Gaither chapter deepens our appreciation for players who stay on the field. The sport is more violent than telecasts convey. Some players have the taste for it, but not the bodies that last. Others lose the taste for it, or never really had it.